Doorlatch



Oct. 22, 1935. A. s. DRAA El AL DOORLATCH Filed May 10, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l lnven lors I 122206 Lir'aa ZZZWIZ fi e/ A llorney Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention appertains to 'new and useful improvements in latches and locks such as are employed on vehicle doors and more commonly employed on automobile doors.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a closure fastener constructed in such a manner as to eliminate projecting levers, handles and other parts which sometimes are accidentally engaged with the result. that the door opens while the vehicle is in motion and sometimes with dire results.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a closure fastener which will be substantially more practical in operation and less susceptible to the development of defects as are the numerous types of closure fasteners of this character now in general use.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automobile body showing the latch installed in dotted lines.

ure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through a door and the novel latch means of this invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through an automobile door showing the latch in operative position. I

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure2.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the latch means removed from the closure and showing in broken lines the door glass and how the latch is mounted clear of the same.

'Figure 7 is a perspective view of the latch bolt...

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numer-' als designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 represents the cowl portion of a closed type automobile while numeral 6 represents one of the front posts of the windshield frame. Numeral I represents the front right door (if it be a sedan type of automobile) which is of the usual hollow pressed steel construction having the vertically slidable window glass 8.

In carrying out the present invention, it can be seen in Figures 2 and 3 that a box-like struc- ..-i5 ture 9 is supported by suitable bolts or other members l0 inside of the door below the window opening. A shaft I I extends into this box 9 from oneside thereof and within the box 9 this shaft 1 I has the arm I 2 secured thereto as at l3, this arm being provided with an upstanding leg [4 5 having a curved foot member l5 for engaging the .bottom side of the finger operated presser block I6, this block l6 being the outboard block located in an opening I I in the sill l8 of the window outside of the window 8, while at the 10 inside of the window 8 is a second presser block 19 operating in an opening 20 in the said sill l8. Both of these blocks I6 are pivotally mounted as at 2| and suitable spring means 22 serves to maintain these blocks in the normal position as 1b shown in Figure 2.

A bell crank 23 is rockably mounted as at 24 in the box 9, the upper portion of this bell crank v 23 normally bearing against the bottom side of the arm I2 while its lower end engages into the 20 notch 25 of the slide bolt 26. The box 9 is of a width to snugly receive the bolt 26 and guide the same through the opening 21. in one end thereof. A spring 28 interposed between the opposite end of a box 9 and the adjacent end of 25 the bolt 26 serves to normally project-the bolt 26 outwardly into locked position.

A bar 29 onthe shaft II at the outer side of the box 9 normally assumes the position shown in Figure 2 engaging the under side of the presser 30 block l9. Thus it can be seen, that when one or the other of the presser blocks I6I9 is pressed downwardly, the arm l2 or the bar 29 is actuated. If the arm I2 is actuated, the bell crank 23 is directly affected, while on the other hand'35 if the bar 29 is actuated, the shaft H transmits motion to the arm l2 and from there to the bell crank 23, which bell crank in rocking forces the bolt 26 to the left in Figure 2, thus retracting the bolt. 40

For securing the mechanism against operation,

a detent is provided, this consisting of a shaft 30 extending downwardly through the sill l8, through a bracket 3| on the box 9 and bearing through an opening in the box 9 as at 32. A 45 lateral member 33 extends from the shaft 30 and is provided with a vertical grooveway 34 therein which engages the transverse grooved portion 35 of the leg l4 when the handle 36 at the upper end of the shaft 30 is rotated to ,the 50 position shown in Figure 2. When the detent is in the position shown in Figure 3, the lateral member 33 is disengaged from the leg l4 and the arm l2, bar29, and. rocker 23 are free to operate and actuate the bolt 26. A small compressible coiled spring 31 is interposed between the bracket 3| and the lateral member 33 as is shown in Figure 2.

It can also be seen in Figure. 6 that the box 9, shaft II, and bar 29 are so situated as to completely avoid the window glass 8 so that the same can be operated without any interference from the latch mechanism.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size, and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope or the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A closure fastener comprising a slide bolt,

spring means for projecting the bolt, said bolt being provided with a notch, a bell crank rockably supported and having one end engaged in the notch, a pivotally mounted arm, and a presser member pivotaliy mounted on the closure and normally engaging the said arm, said presser member when depressed being adapted to actuate the arm and rock the bell crank to actuate the bolt, and a detent for engaging and holding the said arm against operation, said detent comprising a vertical rotary shaft, a lateral member on the shaft provided with a notch therein for receiving the said arm when the same is rotated to a position engaging the said lateral member with the arm.

AMOS S. DRAA.

ELTON GEER. 

